More than clothes can be washed in a washing machine, and more than dishes can be washed in a dishwasher, but it’s simply not something that occurs to everyone! Here are some time-saving tips for more ways to utilize your dishwasher and washing machine!

Many curtains are machine washable. Just check the tag! Why vacuum them when putting them through your washing machine on a warm cycle is way more effective at removing dust, dander, and other allergens?

Even plastic shower curtains are machine washable! It’s best to wash them with a few large towels and then let them hang dry.

If you have a small, fabric mat or rug in your kitchen or bathroom, you can put it through the wash with no worries. If the fabric rug has a rubber backing, make sure to put the machine on a cold, gentle cycle so that rubber won’t break off.

We all remember to wash tea towels and dish rags, but oven mitts can go years without a good cleaning. Considering how close oven mitts get to your food, it’s important to keep them hygienic. Throw them into the wash the next time you launder your dishcloths.

A lot of pillows can be machine washed on a gentle cycle with warm water. The trick is to add an extra rinse cycle and spin cycle to make sure you get all of the detergent out. You can help your pillows dry by putting them in the dryer on low heat with a few drier balls. To get the cleanest pillows possible, we don’t recommend laundering more than two pillows at a time.

This includes sponges, scrubbing brushes, vacuum attachments, dust pans, and plastic floor brushes and broom heads. After all, what good does it do you to clean with dirty cleaning tools? Just make sure to clean off any excess hair and dust bunnies first so that they won’t clog your dishwasher, and skip the dry cycle.

Because registers and grilles sit right at the mouth of your air ducts, they become coated with dust and other particles circulating through the air. Simply unscrew them from the wall and place them just like dishes into your dishwasher’s lower rack. Please note: plated, painted, or enameled grilles should only be hand-washed. Other materials (like plastic or aluminum) are generally dishwasher-safe.

Skip this step of your dusting routine, and simply place sturdy glass light fixtures securely in your dishwasher’s top rack. To prevent damage to the fixture, just be sure to run a gentle cycle and skip the heat dry.

Hopefully, your pets love their toys, but if they do, that means those toys can get dirty very quickly. The good news is that a lot of plastic pet toys are dishwasher-safe (just check the packaging), so you can run them through on a regular cycle along with your dishes.